Medical marijuana inhalation bill revived, passed by Senate

Louisiana senators have revived a proposal to let Louisiana’s medical marijuana patients inhale cannabis, only two days after rejecting the idea.

The House overwhelmingly agreed to the inhalation proposal by Baton Rouge Democratic Rep. Ted James, which would let therapeutic cannabis patients use an inhaler, like asthma patients use.

Baton Rouge Republican Sen. Dan Claitor and other senators Saturday objected to widening the delivery methods beyond current law and shelved the bill.

On Monday, Sen. Fred Mills, a Parks Republican, successfully amended the measure to spell out the metered-dose inhalers that would be allowed. The Senate passed that reworked bill with a 31-7 vote, sending it back to the House.

Medicinal-grade pot isn’t yet available to patients, but availability is expected later this summer.